This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/343,307 filed May 31, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference. The field of the invention is theme park rides and attractions.
In various theme park rides, riders are seated in a vehicle which moves along a pathway having themed elements. The vehicle may move along a track and may optionally include a motion base having actuators to allow the seating platform to move in pitch, roll, yaw, heave, surge, sway, rotation, and similar movements. Combined with inertial forces resulting from the actual movement of the vehicle, the vehicle can provide many different rider sensations. Other types of theme park attractions may have a stationery motion base which also physically moves a rider or audience member, but without movement along a pathway. In these types of attractions, such as motion base theaters, rows of seats are supported on a motion base platform which performs some of the movements listed above. The seats themselves may also be moved independently of the platform, such as in so-called 4-D theaters.
Virtual reality and augmented reality (collectively referred to as VR) generally have a screen or other viewing device on a headset, goggle, visor or helmet, with the screen within a few centimeters of the viewers' eyes. VR viewing devices, collectively referred to here as headsets, have been combined with theme park rides, such as roller coasters, to provide an enhanced rider experience. While these and other VR attractions have met with varying degrees of success, design challenges remain.